


Class Discussion

by thatwriterlady



Series: SPN ABO Bingo Challenge 25 Stories [22]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Dean, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Beta Charlie Bradbury, Castiel And Dean Are Mated, Classroom Debate, M/M, Mating Debate, Omega Castiel, Professor Ellen Harvelle, Psychbiology Course, SPN A/B/O Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-23 16:02:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11993151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: Professor Harvelle has a special lecture planned today, one that will make her students think.  Omegas on one of the room, Alphas on the other, and Betas in middle.  It's a discussion that will leave everyone in the class with a new perspective on mating.





	Class Discussion

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to **xHaruka17** for helping me to come up with this idea. I hope everyone likes it!

 

 

**Story #22**

**Mating/Claiming**

**_Class Discussion~_ **

 

Professor Harvelle paced back and forth in front of the class as she waited for everyone to file in.  When the last student had walked in, she motioned to the girl to close the door.

 

“We’re going to have a special discussion today.  I want all of the Alphas in the class, sit over here.”  She pointed to the left side of the room.  “And all of the Omegas over here.”  She pointed to the right.  “Betas, sit in the middle.”

 

Everyone looked at her curiously as they took their new seats.  Once they were all settled and quiet, she started talking.

 

“Ok, we’re going to have a debate over the benefits and downsides to claiming or being claimed,” she said.  “Raise your hand if your parents are mated.”

 

Nearly every hand in the room went up.

 

“Ok, now, lower them.”  Everyone did as told.  “Now raise them if you have one Omega parent and one Alpha parent.”

 

This time only about ¾ of the room raised their hands.  She nodded approvingly.

 

“Ok, and who here has at least one Beta parent?”

 

A handful of people raised their hand this time.

 

“Anyone with two Beta parents?”

 

Two students raised their hand, Aaron Bass, a Beta majoring in psychology, and Charlie Bradbury, who was minoring in it.  She was a Beta as well.

 

“Alright.  And you’ve all taken biology, I’m sure.  You know the basics at least of how genetics work.”  She continued pacing as she talked, aware of the 32 sets of eyes currently watching her.  “If a Beta breeds with a Beta, they will produce exclusively Beta offspring.”  Her brown eyes scanned her students, and she got a handful of acknowledging head nods.

 

“If you have an Omega female with an Alpha male, what do you get?” 

 

For a moment the room was quiet, everyone trying to remember their basic biology courses.  Finally a few hands went up. 

 

“Castiel?”  She nodded for the Omega to respond.

 

“Well, I don’t remember the whole XX/XY chromosome thing, but a pairing such as that will create Alpha male pups, Alpha female pups, and Omega female pups.”

 

“They can produce Beta sons, but it’s rare,” the Professor said.  She looked over the rest of the class.  “Now, what comes of an Omega father and an Alpha mother?”

 

Several hands shot up this time, including Castiel’s again.  This time, though, she looked over to the Alpha side of the room.

 

“Dean.”  She called upon one of her brightest students, an Alpha in school for medicine.  He sat up straighter.

 

“An Omega father and Alpha mother will produce Alpha male, Alpha female, and Omega male pups.  The chances of producing a Beta pup of either gender is 1 in 200.”

 

“That’s correct.  Now, can you tell me what you get with two Alpha parents?” she asked, directing the question back to Dean.

 

“You get 100% Omega children,”  he replied.

 

She nodded, stopping her pacing when she reached the center of the room.  So many genetic combinations existed.  There were blue eyes, brown eyes, green, hazel, and a few she couldn’t quite identify, all looking back at her.  Red hair, blonde, black, brown, some straight, some curly, the combinations were interesting from a genetic viewpoint.  But this was a psychobiology class, not basic biology, or even basic psychology.  She wanted her students to consider what drove an Alpha to seek out an Omega mate 9 out of 10 times.

 

“Alright.  Tell me the top five Alpha traits.” 

 

Hands shot up but she turned to the Omega side of the room, choosing a girl named Carmen.

 

“They like to dominate, they have ruts, they have a knot, their bite causes a chemical change in the person they mate, and…”  Carmen tapped one long red nail against her chin for a moment.  “They eat a lot of red meat?”

 

There were some chuckles around the room, but even the Alphas weren’t denying that one.

 

“How about their ability to scent mark?  An Alpha in rut can sometimes get a bit _too_ hormonal and leave scent marks just about everywhere.  It’s at its worst shortly after presentation when they have to learn to control it, so by your age, you all should pretty much have it under control.”  She eyed the Alpha side of the room.  Most of the Alphas in the room were laughing and nodding.

 

“Haven’t scent marked anything since my first rut,”  Dean said, grinning.

 

“Ok, well then, tell me, Dean, what are the top five Omega traits?” 

 

He thought for a moment, his green eyes drifting over to that side of the room.  At least 12 sets of eyes were all trained on him, waiting to hear his answer.

 

“Slick,”  he said, still looking at the Omegas that were watching him.  A handful nodded.  “Heats, dual reproductive organs for the males, increased pheromone production outside of heats when aroused, and well, I guess they’re _supposed_ to be submissive, but I don’t think I’ve ever met one that really was.”

 

Everyone laughed, even the Omegas.  Professor Harvelle gave a chuckle as she nodded.

 

“The submissive trait does not refer to their day to day nature.  It refers to their behavior during mating, but also when under extreme duress.  What would you say if I told you that was a survival technique to protect them against Alphas in a rage?”

 

Dean looked over at the Omegas again, but they seemed as surprised to hear that as he did.  When he looked at the other Alphas, they all seemed as surprised as everyone else.

 

“I’d say most Alphas don’t go flying into rages anymore.”

 

“This is true, but there are biological traits that sometimes do not get bred out for many generations.  Like that hair on your chests.  Your ancestors were covered in hair.  The first ones to shift were almost as hairy as the wolves from which we descend, but within just a few generations, there was less hair.  We’re now at roughly 30 generations past, and you see how little hair we have now.”

 

Castiel raised his hand, and she motioned for him to ask his question.

 

“Are Omegas actually less submissive in response to the reduction in Alpha aggression?  Has this been studied and proven?”

 

“It has, actually.  Harvard, 1986, Dr. Sherman Melford did a study over the course of 30 years, testing Alphas and Omegas.  He studied Alpha aggression, their ruts, and the reactions of Omegas to them.  It’s quite an enlightening read,”  she replied.

 

“So, theoretically, I would be more dominant than my father, but my pups should be more dominant than me?”  he asked.

 

“This is where things get tricky.  Remember, DNA has to come from both parents, and some parents will carry a gene for submissiveness and it will combine with their mate’s gene for it.  So theoretically, your pups could be _more_ submissive.  Genetics is a lottery.  How many of you are currently mated?” 

 

These students were working on their doctorates and masters degrees, so they were all in their mid-twenties.  A little less than half the class raised their hands, including Dean _and_ Castiel.

 

“Dean, you are mated?  To an Omega or a Beta?”

 

Dean pointed at Castiel.  “Cas is my mate.  We’ve been together since our freshman year.”

 

“I did not know this.  How long have you two been mated?”

 

“Three years now,” he replied.

 

“No pups?”

 

He shook his head.  “No, we’re both working on our careers at the moment.  Finishing up school, then it’s on to medical school.  He’ll be done first, and when he’s finished, we’ll start working on that.” 

 

“So…you’re planning out when you intend to have pups,” she said.  Both men nodded.

 

“Ok, so how do you feel about Alphas that ignore birth control methods and knot an Omega with intent to impregnate?  You know, like our ancestors would have done.  Back then it was done to ensure survival of the species.  The more they bred, the more pups there would be.  How do you feel about that in today’s society?”

 

She scanned the room and pointed to Victor Henriksen, a Beta.

 

“I think that’s pretty messed up.  It’s assault, and our species is doing just fine.  If anything, there are too many of us.  Any Alpha that would use their aggression to pin an Omega and mount them is sick,” he replied.

 

“Alright, and what if I told you, it’s ingrained in their DNA, and that fighting against it isn’t exactly easy?”  She cocked an eyebrow, interested in his response. For a moment he frowned, as if considering the question deeply.

 

“Well, the fact is, it _can_ be fought against.  I think if they work on that, at some point in the future, it can be avoided completely.” 

 

She smiled.  “Good answer.  Now…”  She began pacing again.  “I’m going to pose a question, and I want to hear three different viewpoints.  Choose a representative for each group.”

 

There was some quick conversation before Castiel stood up.  On the Alpha side, Dean stood up.  Charlie popped up for the Betas.

 

“Ok, you three, come down here.” 

 

They came down to the front of the room, all standing in front of her with curious yet interested expressions.

 

“The question is, how does claiming a mate fit into today’s society?”  She asked.  Castiel looked at Dean who looked just as contemplative as his mate.  Charlie was tapping her chin thoughtfully.

 

“Well, it depends.  See, the planet is currently overpopulated, but at one point it wasn’t, so the need to claim a mate and produce as many pups as possible was necessary.  My great, great grandparents had 17 children, but only seven made it to adulthood.  From there, only five produced pups.  During a time when stillbirths were still high, diseases were running rampant, and wars raged, the Were needed to breed like crazy.  Fast forwarding to today, when there are 7 billion Were in the world, this need is not so great.  If anything, were now either choose not to have pups or they usually limit themselves to one or two.  So a hundred, two hundred years ago, it was a must.  Take a mate, reproduce.  Now, I think people are concentrating more on their careers rather than on keeping their bloodlines going.”  Charlie was the first to speak.  The professor nodded along, listening to her theory.

 

“I don’t know about that.”  Dean seemed to immediately regret having those words slip past his lips.  He sucked his lower lip into his mouth and chewed at it for a moment.

 

“Please, elaborate,”  Professor Harvelle said.

 

“Well, it’s more than just societal expectations.  At one time Omegas were expected to appear as feminine as possible, and in some countries, this one included, it was even made illegal for them to wear pants.  Even the male Omegas.  Today, Omegas are free to wear whatever they want, and yet six of the ones in this class alone are wearing skirts.  It’s not expected of them anymore, they do it because they want to.  They’re comfortable wearing them, and they’re comfortable in their sexuality. 

 

“I think mating is something people want.  I know I wanted it.  Since I was a kid, I never wanted random hookups.  I dated with the intentions of mating, and every person I went out with was a potential mate.  I know Alphas that look at Omegas as if they’re just good for sex, but I never saw them that way.  I have always had the utmost respect for all genders.  When I met Cas, he wasn’t looking for a mate.  He felt he was too young to settle down.  We dated four years before he decided he was ready.  I was ready pretty much since I met him.  I knew he was the one.  I didn’t pressure him though.  I let him know where I stood on the matter, and I told him he could leave at any time if he decided I was not the one he wanted to eventually mate.  But I also made it clear that mating was my end game, and if he wasn’t interested in that, then I would leave.”

 

The professor turned to Castiel, who was looking at Dean with a mixture of love and awe.

 

“Castiel, how did you feel when Dean gave you that ultimatum?”

 

He turned to look at her, frowning.  “I wouldn’t say it was an ultimatum.  It wasn’t like I had to mate with him or anyone else.  I actually never thought I would.  I intended to be a single Omega that concentrated on my career and made that the focus of my life, but when I met Dean, I knew he was different from other Alphas and Betas I’ve dated.  See, most of my friends don’t want to take a mate.  I felt the same as them for a long time, but I also watched them go from one unsatisfying relationship to another. Alphas cheated on them constantly. I went through my own fair share of them cheating, until I met Dean. He was calm, focused, and interested only in me. I enjoyed the attention, yes, but I knew he was different right from the start. He made it clear on our first date that he didn’t do random hookups, and didn’t play the field. He dated one person at a time, made a serious effort to get to know them, and he made it clear he wanted a mate one day.  I…almost didn’t agree to a second date because of that.  But I did, and then I went home and thought long and hard about what set Dean apart from other people I’d dated, and I realized a big part of that was his desire to take a mate. Bedding as many Omegas as possible wasn’t even an option for him. 

 

“I did a lot of thinking in our first few months of dating.  I admit, I compared Dean to other Alphas that showed an interest in me, and with Dean’s blessing, I even dated a few of those other ones, just to see where _they_ stood on things.  I figured out pretty quickly that I didn’t want to be just another notch on their bedpost.  I wanted something solid, and I wanted to be with one person, someone that wouldn’t use me and spit me out at the end of the day.  As I came to this realization, I figured out that I had only been against mating because my friends were.  I wanted the security of a mate that loved me and only me, someone that would be there when I needed them, and that I could love unconditionally as well.  I found all of that with Dean.  I think that if society continues the way it is going, we’re going to have generations ahead of us that don’t understand love, commitment, or the true meaning of family. 

 

“My mother left when I was a pup, and my father dated random men and women for years.  She’s an Alpha, my father is an Omega.  I know he was looking for an Alpha that would be willing to mate him, because my mother would not, and in the end, she left him.  I was wary of mating because I expected whatever Alpha I got into a long-term relationship with to leave eventually.  Dean showed me not all Alphas have the same mindset.  He associates with people that are of the same mindset as him,”  Castiel explained.

 

“And do you feel like you gave up any part of yourself in taking a mate?  Do you feel like you submitted to your Alpha?” 

 

Castiel scoffed at the question.  “Heck no.  Dean and I have a completely equal relationship, including in the bedroom.”

 

Dean blushed and ducked his head when a few people in the classroom chuckled.

 

“You did not feel forced into submitting and agreeing to mate?”  the professor asked.

 

“Not at all.  He made it clear that I could leave at any time if I didn’t want to one day be his mate.  In fact, I did leave once, for about two weeks.  I began dating an Alpha that cheated on me every single day we were together.  It was eye opening, and I begged Dean for forgiveness.  I was the idiot, not him.  It’s a miracle he took me back.”  Castiel looked at his mate, who smiled adoringly at him.

 

“I love him. I knew he was conflicted and was trying to get his head straight.  It hurt seeing him out with another Alpha, but I figured if he really, truly loved me and wanted to be my mate, he’d come back,”  Dean said. 

 

“Interesting.  And do you know anyone that forced an Omega into a claim?”  Professor Harvelle queried. 

 

“Yes, actually.  A guy in my sophomore classes.  He was supposed to be getting his degree in chemical engineering.  There was a girl in my English class, an Alpha named Sophie, and she made the mistake of bringing her Omega sister to one of the frat parties.  The guy from my class came, and basically, he took one look at that Omega girl and decided to get her drunk and…”  Dean motioned with his hand, hoping the professor understood what he was saying.  The deep scowl on her face told him she did. 

 

“Anyway, he got her plastered, separated her from her sister who was watching out for her, and he knotted her.  She was crying, screaming for help but the laws are still sort of messed up.  What he did, it was technically rape, but when me and a couple of other Alphas broke the door down to get in and rescue her, he claimed her, making the rape charge null and void.  She was claimed against her will, and to someone that was essentially a monster.  I didn’t like the guy to start with, but after that, I flat out hated him.  The girl, I forget her name, I think it was maybe April?  She was devastated, and…she got pregnant.  Al, her ‘mate’,”  Dean spit the word out with so much venom in his voice, “wouldn’t let her abort.  He was 20, she was 17, and he wouldn’t let her abort.  She, uh, had the pup.  Then she went to the Masonville Bridge and jumped.  The same day she gave birth.  Al didn’t want the pup, he was just cruel and wanted to force her to raise it.  Sophie has the pup now and is raising the little girl as her own. I’ve babysat a few times.  I hold no ill will towards little Ruby, but I know people that have.  Sophie couldn’t raise a pup and continue on to medical school like she’d planned, so she switched and got her nursing degree.”

 

“How does this person’s actions make you feel, Castiel?”  Professor Harvelle asked.

 

“I was at that party.  I remember the entire thing, and I was both horrified and disgusted, especially since Al came on to me too and tried to get me drunk.  It was later discovered that he was slipping roofies into the drinks.  Dean chased him away from me, but then he spotted April and…”  Castiel wrapped his arms around himself as he shook his head.  “I feel like I should have done more.  I admire Dean for trying to stop it.  He beat the shit out of Al, and I witnessed it. Knowing Alphas like him existed, it was a wakeup call. I was careful after that, about who I associated with, and found myself watching the Alphas my friends got involved with.  It’s disgusting that there are people like that out there. To my knowledge it never affected his life.  He graduated a few years back with his degree and got a job with a chemical plant back in his hometown.  April, however, lost her life, and I blame him for that.”

 

“How would you have felt had Dean forced a claim on you?”

 

Castiel blanched at the question and looked over at his mate.  “I would have resented him and made his life a living hell.”

 

“I would never have done that.  I wanted a mate free and willing.  I never wanted someone that didn’t love me completely,”  Dean added.  Castiel smiled at him, and he smiled back.

 

“I think I’d have killed him,”  Charlie piped up.  “That’s still legal too, you know.  In like, 36 states, including this one.  If you are forced against your will into a claim, the Omega or Beta has the right to kill the Alpha to release themselves.  The rest of the states imprison the Alpha and force a chemical break in the bond, starting with the Alpha, so it’s less painful for the person they mated.  Unfortunately, those chemicals are toxic and can render an Omega infertile as well as only being effective approximately 60% of the time.  The only 100% effective way to sever it is to kill the Alpha.”

 

“That’s right.  Which brings up the question of morality.  Who here thinks it is ethical to kill the Alpha that mates an Omega against their will?”  The professor looked out at the rest of the class as she asked the question.  Every single Omega raised their hand, as did all of the Betas.  Most of the Alphas did as well, but a few didn’t.

 

“Dick?  Care to explain your reason behind why you disagree?”

 

“It’s murder.  How can it be a question of morality?  Murder is wrong.  Can’t the laws just be changed so they’re locked up?”  He seemed uncertain about his answer, and questioning rather than actually disagreeing.  The other Alphas that hadn’t raised their hand were nodding in agreement.

 

“Well, let me ask this,” she moved across the room until she was standing in front of the Alpha section and looked up at them,  “have you ever been in love?”

 

Dick frowned.  “Well, yeah.  I have a girlfriend.”

 

“Ok, and do you want to mate with her one day?”  She remembered him as agreeing with Dean on the concept of mating.

 

“After I graduate.  She’s waiting for me to finish school and line up a job first.”

 

“That’s good.  Now, what if you found out the woman you love, that you wanted to mate with and spend the rest of your life with, was already mated to someone else?  How would that make you feel?”

 

Dick’s eyebrows rose almost to his hairline, and then he was frowning deeply.  “Sometimes people leave their mates, though.”

 

“True, but mating is meant to be for life.  It’s the nature of the wolf.  How would it make you feel knowing you could not bond with her?  That she smelled of another Alpha, and only that Alpha could impregnate her?”

 

He scratched at his jaw as he thought about that.  “I guess…I’d be angry.”

 

“At her, or at the Alpha that mated her against her will?”

 

He dropped his hand and sighed.  “Against the Alpha.  It’s not her fault.”

 

“Ok, so let’s theorize that she has left this Alpha, not killed him.  She is bonded to him for as long as he is alive. Only he can get her pregnant.  She feels his pain, his pleasure, his fear, his anger.  This means she can feel every time he knots another Omega, or Beta.  She can’t feel anything of you though.  She’ll never be able to become attuned to your feelings like she could if she wasn’t bonded to someone she hates and is scared of.  Would you abandon her?  Hurt her even more than she has already been hurt?  Just to see the Alpha put in jail?  Or is it better for her to completely free herself of the bond so she can 100% be yours?” 

 

Dick’s shoulders sagged in acceptance of her argument.  “Ok, I get what you’re saying.  I still don’t agree that murder is the way to go.  They need to continue working on a safe, 100% effective way for a bond to be broken, so the Alphas can be punished accordingly without necessarily dying.”

 

“This is true, and there are several doctors working on that right now.  But in the meantime the belief in these 36 states is that by allowing the Alpha the right to mate and claim a rape victim, which is exactly what the Omega is, the victim has the right to end their suffering.  It’s sort of a Catch-22.  An Alpha can claim whatever Omega they want without repercussion, but they are subject to that Omega’s right to sever that bond by ending the Alpha’s life,” the professor explained. There were murmurs all through the class as she walked back to the three students she still had standing at the front of the room. 

 

“Castiel.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Why can an Alpha impregnate any Omega or female Beta they are not bonded to, but after they claim an Omega, why can only _they_ impregnate that specific Omega?  Why can they can continue to impregnate Omegas and Betas they are not bonded to?”

 

Castiel pursed his lips, squinting as he looked at his teacher.  “Well, the way we had it explained, the bond between an Omega and their Alpha is as much chemical as it is hormonal, and it changes the Omega on a cellular level.  As long as they are bonded to a specific Alpha, that is the only person that can get them pregnant.”

 

“How does it make you feel knowing Dean is the only person that you can breed with?”  she asked.  The Omega bristled and narrowed his eyes.

 

“I don’t look at it like that.  He’s not just my mate, but the love of my life.  I wouldn’t want to ‘breed’ with anyone else.”

 

She turned to face Dean, who looked as unhappy as his mate by her last question.

 

“Dean, how would you feel if Castiel could not have pups?”

 

He glanced at his mate, who was watching him with one eyebrow raised as if he didn’t quite get the reason behind the question either.

 

“I wouldn’t care.  We mated to be with one another, not to pump out as many pups as possible.  Besides, there’s the chance of in vitro, or adoption if infertility was an actual issue, which it is not.”

 

She nodded, smiling reassuringly before speaking again.

 

“The instinct though, of an Alpha is to claim, mate, and produce offspring.  Do you feel that biological urge?”

 

“Well, sure, but it doesn’t control me.  If we never had pups, I’d be ok with that.  As was said earlier, this planet is already overpopulated.  Would I _like_ to have a pup with my DNA? Sure. Is not having a pup going to destroy me?  No way. There will be pups to spoil and shower with affection. My brother’s, his sister’s, our friends’, and maybe someday, our own.  But Cas comes first for me. His needs, his wants, and his career. I know he’d give me one if I asked, but I want him to be happy and want it too,” Dean replied.

 

“I do, sweetheart, I want pups.  Just, not yet.  We have plenty of time.”  Castiel smiled at his mate, and Dean smiled back.

 

_“I know,”_   the Alpha mouthed to him.

 

“Charlie, as a Beta, the chemical and hormonal bond is not as strong, especially when the mated pair are Beta and Beta.  Are you currently mated?”  Professor Harvelle asked.

 

“Nope.  I’m a free agent, for now at least.  I’m not opposed to claiming or getting claimed, but I’m not looking to settle down yet.” 

 

“What is your opinion on Omegas having the right to end a claim that was forced upon them?” 

 

Charlie reached over to pat Castiel’s shoulder, offering the man a reassuring smile.

 

“I was there the day April was claimed against her will too.  It was awful.  She screamed for help and…no one could get to her in time.  My heart broke for her. Her tears, her pain, they were palpable. That bastard was so smug, so confident that he was above the law.  I wanted to kill him myself for what he’d done.  I didn’t know she was pregnant until after the pup was born and she had died. It broke my heart all over again.  So my opinion?  It’s that any asshole that thinks it’s ok to take away another person’s rights to choose who they want to mate with, they deserve to face that Omega’s wrath.”

 

“Thank you, you three may return to your seats.” 

 

Castiel reached out to touch Dean’s hand briefly before they parted ways, each returning to their side of the room.  Tomorrow, they would return to their usual seats, sitting side by side.

 

“The assignment is an essay on the social expectations of mating and claiming.  You will address both sides of the argument.  On the last page I want no less than 15oo words on your own viewpoint of this subject, and why you feel this way.  The entire paper will be no less than 3,ooo words.  I don’t think I need to remind you to add proper citations and links to whatever materials you use in your research.  You have until next Wednesday to turn it in.  I want proper grammar and punctuation.  You’re MBA and Doctorate students, you should know better.”  She smiled as several students chuckled.  “Make sure to address the issue of Omega rights in unwanted claims, and your opinions on the laws that protect Alphas.  Extra credit if you provide sources to cases where Omegas won in court after killing the Alphas that claimed them against their will in states that do not allow for an Omega to kill said Alpha.”  The professor gave the assignment, watching as her students wrote it down.  She moved over to the overhead projector and turned it on, putting the assignment up on the whiteboard at the front of the room.

 

“We will continue this topic on Friday, so read up in your textbook on the biological aspects of a mating bond, and research online as well.  Expand your minds.  Most of you are going into some form of medicine, whether it’s psychological, physical, or whatever.  You need to understand why your patients think and act the way that they do.  A good doctor is able to empathize with those they are providing medical care for, and thus provide the necessary care to help them heal.”  She flipped off the overhead just as the bell rang, announcing the end of class. 

 

Dean collected his things, contemplating what they had discussed in class.  He smelled his mate before he felt the hand that came to rest on his lower back.

 

“You don’t feel forced, do you?”  he asked his Omega.  Castiel tilted his head in confusion.

 

“Forced?  Into what?”

 

“Bonding with me.  I mean, this topic, I dunno, I just, I feel…guilty, like maybe I put too much pressure on you.”  Dean slipped his book into his messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder.  Castiel motioned towards the door and they headed for it together.

 

“Darling, I did not feel forced.  You let me know early on what you wanted, what you needed, and you left the decision up to me.  I’m the one that still feels guilty for breaking up with you and dating Uriel.  I was stupid and selfish.  I’m only glad that I figured that out before you found someone else.  Maybe someone better than me.  Sometimes I think you’re too good for me.”  Castiel found his mate’s hand and linked their fingers together as they walked to their next class.  This was their last semester, and they’d managed to get three of their five classes together this time around.  They saved a small fortune on gas by traveling together.

 

“You know that’s not true.  I loved you pretty early on.  I got that you had a different upbringing than me, and that your friends were pressuring you to keep dating around.  I understood why you left me.  It hurt, my heart was broken, but not for long.  I knew that if you really loved me, like I loved you, you’d come back.  And here we are today.  I would move heaven and earth for you, babe.  I just don’t ever want you to regret bonding with me.  I love you more than anything in the world.” 

 

Castiel leaned into his mate’s side as they left the psychology building.’’

 

“I could never regret it.  You showed me what love between two people really is like, and what a healthy mated pair can be.  Before you, I thought I’d be alone because I didn’t want a lifetime of Alphas using me and then moving on.  Honestly, I felt like I wasn’t good enough for most of them, because that’s how they always made me feel.  But you made me feel like I mattered.  You still do.  I wanted this, our life together, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world.  We’ll get through the rest of school, and your internship.  When you start your residency, _then_ I’ll go off my birth control.  I want pups with you, Dean.  Only you.  I know you’ll be an amazing father, and that together, we’ll raise our children to respect all genders.  We’ll show them how a loving, mated couple really is.”  Absently Castiel placed his free hand against his stomach.  He was actually looking forward to one day carrying his mate’s children. 

 

“I love you, baby.”  Dean stopped just outside the history building and pulled Castiel into his arms.  His mate smiled happily before kissing him.

 

“I love you too.”

 

Writing Professor Harvelle’s paper would be much easier for the Alpha now that he was certain his mate held no resentment at all towards him.  Castiel was his world, and always would be.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are always welcome. Thank you for reading!


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